Billiard table apron attachment



April 27, 1965 R, G. REINEMAN 3,180,642

BILLIARD TABLE APRoN ATTACHMENT Filed March 16, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l fg, ff g o o f 1| e H i o "I 1| "I ff un m .wml il'h Il, l i'" effe ,l II I4 lHill o HHM.. II 5 @q o @l )Q/ e QZ 2,4 v5 ,g ,je yf A@ FI|E-E I njy jig l I 7 (47 J0 P-5 J0 April 27, 1965 R. G. REINEMAN BILLIARD TABLEAPRON ATTACHMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 16. 1962 United StatesPatent O 3,180,642 BILLIARD TABLE APRGN ATTACHMENT Richard G. Reineman,Balboa, Calif., assigner to Brunswick Corporation, a corporation ofDelaware Filed Mar. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 1%,256 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-3) Thisinvention relates to billiard tables, and more particularly to amounting adapted for use in articles such as billiard tables or thelike.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a new and improvedbilliard table.

Another object is to provide a new and improved mounting.

A more specific object is provision of a new and improved article suchas a billiard table or the like, with a top having outwardly extendingperipheral side edge portions, and aprons mounted on these edge portionsby means providing for pivotal movement of the aprons with respect tothe table during installation and removal and for lifting the apronsinto close proximity with the edge portions during installation. Arelated object is provision for releasably securing opposite ends of theaprons in close proximity with an adjacent apron end and holding theaprons mounted on the side edge portions of the top. l

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become readilyapparent from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention in the form of abilliard table;

FIG. 2 is an elevational View of the billiard table;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view takengenerally along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view takengenerally along the line 4 4 of FIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged horizontal sectional view takengenerally along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged, inclined sectional view takengenerally along the line 6 6 of FIG. 4;

, FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, enlarged vertical sectional view showing aportion of FIG. 3 with an apron installed on a l billiard table siderail; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical sectional view similar to FIG. 7, but with theapron in an intermediate position during installation on the rail.

While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in thedrawings, and will be described in detail herein, the invention issusceptible of embodiment in many different forms, and it should beunderstood that the present disclosure is to be considered as anexemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intendedtolimit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. The scope of theinvention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is, in brief, directed to a billiard table, and moreparticularly to a mounting adapted for use in an article such as abilliard table for mounting side aprons on side rails of the table. Thismounting is illustrated in the form of a'tongue and groove assembly suchthat the aprons are pivoted toward the center of the table and liftedinto close proximity with the rails during installation, to provide aneat finished appearance and to reinforce the rails. The aprons aresecured together at adjacent ends to retain the aprons mounted on theside rails with the apron ends closely proximate each other to furtherenhance the neat finished appearance of the table. ln addition toimparting a neat nished appearance, the present mounting of thisinvention provides for easy removal of the aprons from the remainder ofthe table to facilitate cleaning and servicing.

,rasta Patented Apr. 2'?, 1955 "ice Referring to the drawings, andparticularly to FIGS. l and 2, an article here in the form of a billiardtable has spaced pedestals l@ supporting a frame lila and thereon asuitable top ll with side and end rails l2, hereinafter referred to asside rails, extending outwardly from the top. Suitable pockets 13 in theside rails and top extend downwardly from the top 11 and are suitablyconnected by ball track means (not shown) with ball compartments withina casing 14 defined by a portion of a side apron l5. Opposite the apronl5 is another side apron 16 and transverse to these aprons are opposedside aprons 17, only one being shown in FIG. 2.

With reference to FIG. 3, it will be seen that table frame llia supportssuitable top slates 21 with rails l2 surmounted on the top and carryingsuitable cushions 22. These rails extend outwardly from top ll to defineouter edge portions of the table which carry the depending aprons, as17.

In the illustrated embodiment one apron 15-17 is associated with each ofthe four side rails of the rectangular table, and these aprons aresecured to respective rails by mountings 25.

Mountings 25 may be best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 and comprise cooperatingportions in the form of side rail brackets 26 on the edges of the siderails, and apron bracket 27 on apron panels 27a. Releasable interlockingmeans are provided by cooperating portions of these brackets in the formof a flange or tongue 28 on apron bracket 27 and a cooperating slot orgroove 29 in rail bracket 26. In the illustrated embodiment the tongueand groove assembly of each mounting extends continuously substantiallythe entire length of the respective rail and apron. The tongue andgroove assembly is of complementary arcuate cross-sectionalconfiguration as shown in the drawings, such that when a tongue 28 ispositioned at the opening of the cooperating groove 29 and pivotedinwardly toward the center of the table, the apron, as 17, is liftedslightly into close proximity with rail 12, and more particularly thelower edge of bracket 26, thereby effectively concealing from view theinterlocking portions of mounting 25 and apron bracket 2'7 to provide aneat and finished appearance.

It should be noted that side rail brackets 27 have a generally flathorizontal undersurface 30 which abuts similar upper surfaces 3l ofrespective apron brackets 27 when the aprons are installed as shown inFIG. 7, so that the aprons reinforce the side rails and the side railsreinforce the aprons because of both the tongue and groove assembly andcooperating surfaces 30 and 3l. AS illustrated, both rail and apronbrackets are detachably connected with their respective supports as byscrews 32.

The aprons have opposite ends, and as may best be seen in FIG.6, theseends have edges closely proximate end edges of adjacent aprons, and inthe illustrated embodiment the proximate edges abut each other when theaprons are installed. For example, in the illustrated embodiment apron17 includes a fixed inner block 35 having a mitered end edge 3o abuttinga similar mitered end edge 37 on an inner block 3% of side apron l5.Adjacent ends of the aprons define corners corresponding to corners ofthe table top, and these end edges are retained in abutting engagementby securing means, here in the form of inwardly extending lianges 4) and4l of generally V-shaped brackets on inner faces of blocks 33 and 35,respectively, suitable fastener means such as a nut and bolt 42extending through aligned openings in these brackets.V As may best beseen in FIG. 4, these openings are in the form of inverted L-shapedslots 43 and 44. These slots open through inner edges of respectiveflanges to facilitate easy assembly of the aprons since the bolt may bepassed through te slot openings and edades-2 seated at the bottoms ofdepending slot legs as shown in n FIG. 4.

ner to the inner face ofthe bottom edge portion of theV apron panels andextending inwardly therefrom. These bottom panels are detachablysecured, as by` nuts and bolts, to straps 49 spaced along and attachedto frame 10a. The ends of panels 47 are secured to eachother in abuttingrelationship in any suitable manner, as by bolts Si) (FIG. 5) extendingthrough aligned'apertures in adjacent inwardly extending flanges 51 ofthe plates 47.

ln installing an apron, tongue 28 is positioned irn-y mediately adjacentits cooperating groove 29, generally as shown in FIG. 8, and the apronis pivoted inwardly 42 may be inserted through the open ends of theflange ,slotsY 43 and 44 and tightened toV releasably hold the apronsmounted on the rails with the rnitered edges, .as 36 and 37, of adjacentaprons, abutting to provide a neat nished appearance. if apron plates 47are provided they are secured at their corners as shown in FIG. 5 and tothe frame as shown in FIG. 3.

Iclaim:

1. ln a billiard tabie or the like, a generally rectangular table tophaving outwardly extending peripheral side rails, side aprons, oneassociated with each side rail, means comprising cooperating portions ofrespective rails and aprons releasably mounting and supporting theaprons in depending position on respective rails for reinforcing therails, said means comprising tongue and groove releasable interlockingmeans `on cooperating rails and aprons, said interlocking meansextending longitudinally substantially the entire length of therespective rail and being of cooperating arcuate cross-sectionaiconiiguration for pivotal movement of the respective apron toward thecenter of the table during installation and away from the interlockedproximity to the rail during installation to substantially conceal saidinterlocking means andl provide a neat finished appearance, said apronshaving opposite ends and adjacent apron ends deining corners, onecorresponding to yeach corner of the table, said ends having niiteredendedges each abutting the adjacent aprony end edge at the respectivecorner, and means effectively con-V cealed from the outer side of saidaprons and at saidY corners releasably securing said aprons in rsaidinterlocked relationship with respective rails, the last saidk .tableduring removal, and for lifting the apron into close means comprisingadjacent liangesateach corner, one f e cooperating slots and retained inthe last said slots,.for

holding adjacent apron end edges in abutting relationship. 2. The tableof claim 1 wherein said aprons include generally upright panels, andsaid interlocking means on said aprons comprise vmembers `firmly anddetachahly secured to the upperedge portionsv of said panels;

3. The table of claim 1 wherein said interlocking means is delined by atongue on each'apron and a groove in each rail receiving said tongueofthe respective apron.

4. The table of claim l wherein said Vcooperating portions of saidrailsand aprons are defined by brackets detachably secured to the railsand aprons.

5. The table of claim 1 wherein said cooperating portions ofsaid railsand aprons ,include .generally horizontal surfaces in abuttingrelationship for reinforcingsaid rails.

6. in a billiard tablefor the like, a table top, peripheral side railson the top respectively overhanging the side edges of the top, sideaprons respectively along Vsides or" the table, and means for securingand supporting the aprons'in depending positions relative to the railsrespectively, comprising, alongitudinalv downwardly opening slot ofarcuate transverse cross-section in the underside of each rail, eachapron havinga longitudinal upwardly projecting, liiange at its upperedge of a cross-section complementary to the slot and closely receivabletherein, whereby the flange may be inserted in the'associated slot andthe apron pivoted toward the table to a position where the ange and slotare interlocked against relativervertical movement andthe apron issupported by the ange in the slot, and means for securing the adjacentaprons to each other at the ends thereof in position against pivotalmovement and consequent loss ofsupport. n

7. in a billiard table or the like, .a supportingunderstructure, a tabletop on said supporting understructure having `peripheral, side krailsrespectively along the side edges of the top,side apronsrespectivelyfalong vthe sides Vof the table, means for lsupporting eachapron depending Y apron pivoted relative to thev table to a positionwhere the tlange and slot are interlocked against relative verticalmovement andthe vweight ofthe apron ist supported Vby the interlockedilangeand siot, and means ,for interconrnecting a lower portion of eachapron and said supporting understructure toietain the aprons'each insaid position Vagainst pivotal'movement and consequentloss of support bysaid interlocked angesand slots. j

305,463 ldorse r V Sept. 23, 1884 1,928,824 Barce e Oct; 3, 19332,391,395 Debicki l Dec. 25 1945 2,639,443 VStrybelY May 26, 19532,650,657 Ohlsson 7 7 Sept; 1, 1953 2,786,556 Constance 'Mar.. 26, 19572,923,384Y Black.;V Feb.2,' 1960 3,043,407 Marryatt JulyV 10, 1962

7. IN A BILLIARD TABLE OR THE LIKE, A SUPPORTING UNDER STRUCTURE, ATABLE TOP ON SAID SUPPORTING UNDERSTRUCTURE HAVING PERIPHERAL SIDE RAILSRESPECTIVELY ALONG THE SIDE EDGES OF THE TOP, SIDE APRONS RESPECTIVELYALONG THE SIDES OF THE TABLE, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING EACH APRON DEPENDINGRELATIVE TO ITS ASSOCIATED RAIL, COMPRISING, A LONGITUDINAL SLOT OFARCUATE TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION AND A LONGITUDINAL FLANGE OF ARCUATECROSS SECTION COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SLOT AND CLOSELY RECEIVABLE THEREIN,ONE ON THE UNDER SIDE OF THE RAIL AND ONE ON THE UPPER EDGE OF THEAPRON, WHEREBY THE FLANGE AND ASSOCIATED SLOT MAY BE INTERFITTED AND THEAPRON PIVOTED RELATIVE TO THE TABLE TO A POSITION WHERE THE FLANGE ANDSLOT ARE INTERLOCKED AGAINST RELATIVE VERTICAL MOVEMENT AND THE WEIGHTOF THE APRON IS SUPPORTED BY THE INTERLOCKING FLANGE AND SLOT, AND MEANSFOR INTERCONNECTING A LOWER PORTION OF EACH APRON AND SAID SUPPORTINGUNDERSTRUCTURE TO RETAIN THE APRONS EACH IN SAID POSITION AGAINSTPIVOTAL MOVEMENT AND CONSEQUENT LOSS OF SUPPORT BY SAID INTERLOCKEDFLANGES AND SLOTS.